Harry Potter and the Prophecy of Old
by Amarylle
Summary: Once upon a time, there was a Prophecy foretold by Merlin, that in the times of dire need, the Heirs of the four Founders shall be united to lead the Magical World towards the Light once more. HP/HG I will add the rest of the pairs later, don't want to spoil it. Enjoy! c:
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer:** The wonderful world of Harry Potter and the canon characters belong to J.K Rowling and I am only borrowing them to write for my and other people's enjoyment, without any intention of profiting from it. I thank this creative lady for blessing us with such a rich ground to build up our creativity on!

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Prologue - The Prophecy

 _When the Light is fading and Shadows grow near,_  
 _When the Flight of Death hath reign free,_  
 _When the world of Magic is threatened,_  
 _Hie The Powers That Be calls forth to thee:_  
 _Heirs to the most noble of Founders._

 _Heir to noble Godric Gryffindor shall ignite Hope,_  
 _Heir to wise Rowena Ravenclaw shall be thine guiding Light,_  
 _Heir to loyal Helga Hufflepuff shall show Strength untold,_  
 _And Heir to artful Salazar Slytherin shall Unite._

 _Ye Heirs come together in a time of need,_  
 _Each blessed with thine unique Gifts to heed._

 _Heir of the Bravest of them all, shall speak slithery sly,_  
 _He shall be cloaked in nonappearance with a thought,_  
 _His very mind a strong abode to protect and behold._  
 _His powerful Magical Core can be freely called upon,_  
 _He shall savour the sky, in more then one shape or form._  
 _Befriended and allied by a Nation of Old,_  
 _He shall learn how to wield a special sword._  
 _He shall be the one to protect and lead,_  
 _With the affinity to will o' the wisp, and the cocoon of seed._

 _Heir of the Fairest of them all, shall speak tongues forgotten and told,_  
 _She shall be aware of thine inner senses,_  
 _Her unique energy shall mend thy bruises, and soothe thine inferences._  
 _She shall have the brightest mind foretold, keeping thee uninvited at bay,_  
 _However she shall, by her will, be able to visit and to play._  
 _Her Magic is quiet and free-flowing, like a stream,_  
 _Her graceful inner form, shall be first seen, in the inside of a dream._  
 _Her innocent spirit shall soar to the Beyond,_  
 _Heartily invited by otherworldly Song._  
 _Guided and protected by the Realms of the Fey,_  
 _She shall learn how to trust herself, and not to obey._  
 _She shall be the voice of Freedom and Heart,_  
 _With the affinity to the height of the Heavens, and the depth of Gaia's aquamarine art._

 _Heir of the most Unwavering of them all, shall speak the quiet of the Forest,_  
 _He shall be bestowed with the Gift of Life from Mother Earth,_  
 _And on special nights, he shall seek the knowledge of the Stars to conquest._  
 _He shall be of a solid, well-protected mind,_  
 _His Magic seemingly hidden, shall roar to be given free might._  
 _He shall show his inner Strength to all,_  
 _His inner form broad, with Courage devoted never to fall._  
 _Guarded and nurtured by the Horde,_  
 _He shall learn the art of archery and sword._  
 _He shall be the one to support them all,_  
 _With the affinity to the ever-changing terrain, and the fiercest flames to be-call._

 _Heir of the most Ambitious of them all, shall speak slithery sly,_  
 _She shall pick her projected form, by her own design._  
 _She shall call upon her devious nature to cloak reality,_  
 _Her mind well-organized and strong in all continuity._  
 _Her Magic is the quiet before the storm,_  
 _She shall unleash upon the world an unforgettable art form._  
 _Her inner self reflects on a fable fantasy,_  
 _Her collected poise shown by her form of mythology._  
 _Guided and protected by the Realms of the Sky,_  
 _She shall learn how to be fierce and how to really fly._  
 _She shall be the voice of Unity and Bonds,_  
 _With the affinity to the rise and fall of the Waves, and the Zephyr that blows._

 _Ye Heirs come together..._

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 **A/N:** I haven't continued any of my stories in a few weeks, because I was busy, and now that I have some semblance of free time, I wanted to write this down, because this idea has been bugging me for a while now. I wanted to write a Founders' Heir story, so here is how it begins. It will be a Harry/Hermione focused piece, but the other two will feature quite heavily as well, but I do not want to spoil their identities.

Instead I have some questions. Who are our mystery Heirs? And who are the Heirs of Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin? Furthermore, what powers did I hint at? I uniquely tried to hint at each power they have individually, and together. They might have one extra power, but I did not allude to it.

Anyways, what do you think? Should I continue with this idea?

I also hope you guys enjoy the language, I tried to make it more believable to the age the prophecy was told, which was a long long time ago.

Thank you for reading and enjoy!


	2. The Heirs of the Founders

Luna Lovegood was sitting in a small field of white asphodel flowers, pondering the meaning of life. Her long blonde hair was glistening with a silver glow, as the summer breeze playfully lifted the silky tresses, like they were the most delicate feathers in existence. Her intelligent eyes had a faraway look, as she gazed over the horizon, seemingly gazing at nothing, but in actuality guiding her focus towards the voices and visions that were calling to her.

The eight year old little girl was a very special child. From the moment she was conceived, she was fated to be one of the few, who would change the world. She would hold out her hand of friendship and divine guidance to whom she shall meet, and guide their lives towards the Light, and a better tomorrow.

Luna laid down on the grass and closed her eyes, as she felt the pull of a vision overtake her. Her mind and senses seemed to expand, and soon enough she found herself in a familiar space.

She sat up in a small white room, and looked around with a smile on her face, when she heard a deep voice that sent a warm feeling to her chest.

"Greetings, my little Moon." He said heartily, holding out his hand to pull her into a warm embrace.

"Myrddin!" She exclaimed in a sing-a-song voice, and nuzzled her face into the wise wizard's cloak. "I always look forward to your visits." She grinned, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"I am glad to hear that, dearheart." He expressed, and they sat down, still holding on to one another. "We have something important to discuss, and I can only discuss this with you, little Moon."

Luna cocked her head to the side deep in thought, then nodded. "What do I need to know?" She asked in a serious tone, that sounded way too mature for her age, but did not faze Emrys one bit.

The reason Merlin was able to connect with her, was because she was extremely sensitive and open-minded, and she had the Sight, so it was easy to tap into her abilities.

"Once upon a time, there were four individuals, who had very special powers to call upon, and they decided to come together and search for others who shared in some of their abilities, and teach them how to best cultivate the gifts Fate had blessed them with." He began. "That is how they founded Hogwarts." Luna's eyes widened as the realization hit her.

"You are telling me about the Founders?" She asked wistfully. She always felt a pull to the magnificent four, ever since she was old enough to understand the stories her mother and father read to her every night.

"Indeed, child." He smiled. "Godric, Rowena, Helga and Salazar laid the foundation to one of the best magical schools in the world, even though the quality of education unfortunately deteriorated since their time." He sighed regretfully. "Never mind that for the moment. The four of them bestowed their magic and the best of their traits to a Hat they enchanted to serve an important purpose, and sort the magical children into the House most fitting to their personality. Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Slytherin all wished to flourish different qualities, which is why they agreed upon such a solution."

Luna nodded and smiled recalling what her parents told her. "Gryffindor is the House of the brave and courageous, Ravenclaw favours wit beyond measure, Hufflepuff nurtures hard-work, and Slytherin has a fondness for ambition."

"Very good, little Moon." Emrys grinned and patted her cheek. "You are such a curious and clever child. Now, do you know anything else about the Founders, beyond this basic knowledge that is passed along the entirety of the Wizarding World?"

The little girl's eyes dimmed a bit, as she shook her head sadly.

"Don't be sad, love." He reached out to hug her once more, and smiled at her. "What I have to share is definitely not common knowledge."

"Are you telling me a secret?" Luna perked up, hoping to be in on some knowledge not everyone was privy to. She loved learning and storing information in her mental files for later. She had a nearly eidetic memory, which was enhanced by her Magical Core.

"I do not believe it is a secret, no, but it is not widely known." Emrys chuckled at her eagerness. "Do you know what a prophecy is?" He mused.

Luna nodded. "Of course. A prophecy is a prediction of what will happen in the future. There are also different types. A self-fulfilling prophecy is a prediction that directly or indirectly causes itself to become true, by the very terms of the prophecy itself, and the true prophecy is a pre-determined resolution that was arranged by Fate."

Myrddin smiled widely. "Such a clever girl!" His eyes twinkled with a certain fondness for her. He treasured each and every visit to Luna. She never ceased to make him smile. "A long time ago Fate has visited me, and through my person, she bestowed a Prophecy."

"If you and Fate have something to do with a prophecy, then it must be important and must be of the truest kind." She whispered, something stirring in her deep inside. Luna just knew she was connected somehow, she just was not sure how.

"Indeed, dearheart." He nodded and took a deep breath. "This prophecy foretold the arrival of the magical Heirs of the noble Founders, when the need shall arise. They would come together and drive away the looming darkness."

"That's amazing!" She grinned happily, her heart beating a little faster. "What does this have to do with me, Myrddin? I can feel a sense of urgency, but don't understand it."

"You are also connected to this Prophecy, which is the secret part of this whole endeavour, because Fate cleverly hid that from each who knows, except for me. You have a divine purpose, should you accept it, to bring the Heirs' hearts together, and be the connection between them and Fate." He said softly, his fingertips gently twirling a lock of her hair around.

"Am I that important to Fate?" Her eyes glistened with unshed tears, as she clutched on to Merlin's cloak once more, gazing up at his wrinkled face with a look of uncertainty. "Does that mean that I will finally have friends of my own?" She asked with such hope, that it broke the elderly wizard's heart to know she had such a lonely earthly adventure thus far.

"Yes, my little Moon. You are a treasure to us all. You will have friends to call your own, and you might find yourself in the kinship of a sister as well." He smiled mysteriously, caressing her hair tenderly.

"Really?" Her eyes widened once more. "A sister? Ever since I remember, I always longed for a sister." She admitted, her eyes a vision of wonder, and then it dawned on her. "Is she one of the prophecy?"

"Yes, dearheart, you are very astute in reading between the lines." He let out a deep belly laugh, his eyes full of mirth and pride. "She is the Heir of the Fairest of them all, and you share a magical bloodline, which is cloaked in nonappearance by a sorcerer, who wishes her to live as a non-magical, until such time he can manipulate events to his own design." He shared.

"Does that mean that I am also related to Rowena Ravenclaw?" She asked, her bright silver eyes wide with the possibility.

"Indeed, little Moon, you are descendant from her line, which is why you have her Mage Sight. Rowena was also a very distinguished Seer in her time, which she passed on to you. You have a spark and a freedom of Heart that your sister, and her Heir needs to be able to fulfill her destiny." He explained.

"I am so honoured to be part of such a magical family." She said with a huge smile. She had a sister, she was Ravenclaw's youngest descendant, and important to her sister's blossoming. She felt so blessed to have a purpose. "I accept my destiny, Myrddin. I want to help my sister and her companions, and I want to be Fate's vessel to guide them towards their destiny." She exclaimed in a dreamy, but clear tone of voice.

"Very good, my little Moon. I am so proud of you." He smiled. " Now, you need to know a bit about each Heir, and then I will guide you to befriend them, so you can bring them together at the right time. You are a bit younger than the Heirs, and your sister a touch older, but Fate shall organize everything to reflect her wishes the best."

Luna nodded and arranged her mental study room to be able to note down each word of importance and then file them away for later, like she usually did, as instructed by Emrys. "I am ready."

"Heir of noble Gryffindor was marked for a destiny of grave importance, as he possesses power to rid the world of the evil that even now reigns free. The Darkness marked him as their equal, without really meaning to do so, and an unwelcome legacy for the child was henceforth created."

"You are talking about Harry Potter, aren't you?" Luna asked. "He is The-Boy-Who-Lived, and since he lost his parents in the event of him temporarily sending the Dark One away and became famous on the accord of that, it would very much be an unwelcome legacy for anyone involved."

Merlin nodded. "Yes, I am talking about young Harry, who is destined to lead the Heirs to rid the world of the Dark One, once and for all. As bright as you are, you figured that he still exists. He anchored his very Soul to the Earthly Realms, by evil rituals, that we won't go into detail about just yet. You are way too young to carry that burden, my little Moon."

"I understand, Myrddin." She nodded. "What can you tell me about Harry?" She asked curiously. She had heard all the stories about him, but it always confused her that they seemed to have written books about him, when no one has as much as laid their eyes on him, ever since he disappeared from the magical society. They couldn't possibly know anything legit.

Merlin sighed heavily. "I am afraid that what I have to tell you is not pleasant at all. Young Harry has not had the best life thus far. Tossed into living with a family that is afraid of magic was probably the vilest crime anyone could commit against a magical child."

"Wh-what?" Luna asked, her voice strained and her eyes misty with tears. "T-they hate him? That cannot be right. Oh Myrddin, please tell me this is not true." She pleaded with him, her little heart aching at the thought.

He pulled the small child close to his chest and continued. "We will help him, little Moon." He promised. "Harry's mother had a sister, so when she died, someone decided to act not on the last testament of his family, but on his own accord, and sent the lad to live with Lily's estranged sister, leaving only a letter of explanation."

"H-how cruel of them." She sobbed into his cloak, her arms circling around the wizard's side, as she nuzzled into him, her tears soaking the rich material of his clothing.

"Hush now dearheart, it is all going to be sorted out." He soothed her gently. "They will get their comeuppance eventually. For now, I must continue on. Lily Potter's sister also had a child, same age as young Harry. Unfortunately as much as that kid is spoiled, the last of the Potter line receives no love and no guidance." He sighed heavily. "That is where you come in, Little Moon. You need to show Harry that the world is broader than what he had the misfortune to experience. You must show him that there is kindness and acceptance. You must ignite his Hope, as it is his destiny to ignite Hope in everyone else. He cannot do that without you showing him how to. You must help him meet the Heir of Ravenclaw as soon as possible, for her destiny is entwined with his. You must guide them both to help one another." He said softly.

"I will have to meet with Harry first, won't I?" She asked and he nodded in approval. "I will do as you and Fate wish me to do. I want to show Harry that there is good in the world, for the world cannot have a Hero who has no Hope."

"You are very wise, little Moon." He smiled. "Now, the Heir of Ravenclaw has a bit of a complicated family situation. She was born as a daughter of Aurora Lovegood, the younger sister of your father, but as she died at childbirth, your parents have adopted young Hermione as their own kin. You do not remember this, because the one with his own purposes have made your family forget her, as he taken her into the mundane world."

Luna gasped, and the sobbing started all over again, as her small body trembled with the aching longing for her sister, that she loved deeply, even though someone made them completely forget her.

"I want her back in our lives." She whispered, her voice raw, as the elemental need for her own kin overtook her. "How can someone commit such a vile act?" She asked, clutching on to Merlin, like a life line.

"It will all work out at the end, dearheart." He caressed her hair lovingly. "Now, the family that had adopted your sister is a kind one. She was looked after and nurtured in a warm home. However, her bright intellect and compassionate heart, with her affinity to the world unseen by others, had made her an outcast among her age group. She was always able to see the otherworldly creatures, like you do, and had tried to talk about it with her mates, which did not work out well. They had started calling her a freak, and alienated her completely. Hermione escaped into her world of books, and she had developed a sense of shame when it came to the part of her seeing and sensing that which others cannot."

Luna sat up straight at that, her face having a look of anguish and bewilderment. "She can see and hear what I do?" Her eyes widened slightly. "I always felt alone in that, although my daddy often humors me." She chuckled. "Does Hermione have Mage Sight as well then?"

"You will find comfort in each other, where others project disbelief at you. It is not easy to have the abilities that Rowena gifted you girls with. Yes, Hermione also has the gift of Mage Sight, however she is not a Seer, like you are." Myrddin confirmed. "You will need to teach her how to accept herself for who she is, as your mind soars freer than any other's. You will need to show her how to trust in herself first and foremost. She needs not to follow blindly those that might not have the best intentions. Her destiny is to be the Heart and Soul of Magic, to be our Light in the days of Dark. For her to be able to do that, you need to first guide her to be that Light for us, as you are her Light."

Luna nodded. "I will happily help her in any way I can. I might not have been able to spend my childhood with her, but I love her." She said softly, determined to reconnect with her sister and teach her how to love herself the way she loved her, unconditionally.

"Very good, little Moon." He said and continued. "Hufflepuff's Heir was born into a powerful family line who always fought for the Light. Unfortunately his parents were tortured into a stasis of coma and hadn't recovered since."

"You are talking about Nev, aren't you?" She perked up, as they knew each other their whole life. "He and his family live in the neighbouring area, and we sometimes spend time together at Christmas. He is shy and doesn't seem to reach out to others much, but he is also very polite."

He nodded. "Indeed, Heir of Hufflepuff is young Neville Longbottom. He is under the guardianship of his paternal grandmother, a very strict woman. He is dearly loved, but he is intimidated by her formidable power, and he often feels insignificant and repressed in her company, which is why his bursts of magic are practically non-existent, even though he is a right powerhouse."

The girl contemplated this and nodded. "I will help him with how to focus his attention and how to find his inner strength and gain confidence. I feel that is what I need to do to guide him best to his destiny." She said with a faraway look on her pale face.

"Wonderful!" He exclaimed merrily. "I am astounded that you just instinctively known what I wanted to ask you to do."

"I always felt a connection to Nev." She blushed softly and Myrddin smiled knowingly. "What about the Slytherin Heir?" She pondered, looking at the wizard curiously.

"The Heir of artful Salazar was born into a family in the midst of Dark and Light. They balance the two worlds masterfully, waving a delicate braid of the two sides of the conflict. She is the eldest daughter of her line, carrying all the responsibilities of the family on her shoulders. Young Daphne is very devious and sly. She learned in the early stages of life to have a mask of indifference about her, and never to betray her emotions, as emotions could lose her the prize. This was taught to her by her father."

"I am surprised. I did not know that the Greengrass family was connected to the Slytherin line." She said thoughtfully. "I have met her a few times, like Nev. She is very distant with everyone, except those her family expects her to have a connection with. She is all business, even at the tender age of nine." She sighed.

"What you have to understand about her, little Moon, is that she was taught from a very early age to behave that way. A Neutral family has to learn the art of diplomacy, and it takes a long time to master that, so she had to focus on this all her life." He tapped his chin briefly. "With her, you have to be really subtle and careful with how you approach her. It might take you a few years to grow friendly with her, which is why I am telling you all of this now. You will need to show her that it is alright to show emotion at times, that she doesn't have to hide, and she can connect with others. Not everything has to be about a business deal. She has a destiny to break down walls in our society and be Fate's champion of Unity. She has the heart of a Dragon, so she definitely has the fighting spirit that she needs."

"I cannot imagine the burden she must feel." She swallowed. "I will help her any way I can, Myrddin. You and Fate have my promise to help them all." She vowed and a bright glow engulfed her, sending her back into her body laying in the field of white asphodel flowers.

"I have faith in you, my little Moon." She heard Merlin's fading voice echo in her head, as she came into her consciousness.

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 **A/N:** Well, surprise, surprise! Luna is not the Heir of Ravenclaw as most of you guessed she would be, nor she is an Heir at all. She is the connection to Merlin and Fate, and her destiny is to bring the Heirs together. She is very tight with Merlin, it's adorable. Furthermore, I wanted to include Daphne into this. I actually never read any story where she was an Heir so far, so I figured I would write one. I think she will do brilliantly, and I hope I can do her character justice.

About Hermione. I am sure there will be some of you who will argue that I am writing an out of character Mia in this story, but I don't see it that way. I know that in the books she is portrayed as a non-believer when it comes to beings unseen, but what if she believed, but she is deeply ashamed of herself, of being called a crazy freak all her life because of the times she tried to talk about what she hears and sees? I think this has potential, plus making her being related to Luna makes a lot of sense as well.

Thank you for reading, and thank you for the recent follows, favourites and reviews as well.


	3. Meeting Harry Potter

A small scrawny boy was tending to a garden in the blazing heat of the sun. Tiny droplets of sweat were glistening on his forehead and around his temple, as he was weeding the petunias with his bare hands. His arms were cluttered with cuts and red spots, but his face was set in pure determination and a sad sense of acceptance.

He licked his lips as he worked, his throat and mouth dry from dehydration, but he knew that he could not ask for anything from his relatives, much less water that would grant him relief.

He knew the rules.

Never speak if not spoken to first. Never look directly into anyone's eyes, unless asked to do so first. Never ever touch anything, for he was not allowed to have anything, except from a few articles of poorly fitting clothing, and his glasses that he got from his school nurse. Never ask for anything, and never under any circumstances expect anything from anyone, because his place was to be obedient and invisible.

Harry Potter knew his place in the world, and as much as he was unhappy, unhealthy and completely and utterly lonely, it was the only life he knew. Sometimes he thought he deserved the treatment he received. Other times he wished really really hard to be someone else, to be someplace else, or to disappear from this life.

He was only nine years old, yet he did not have a childhood. Ever since he was old enough, he was the Dursley family servant. Not officially of course, as they had to keep up their perfectly ordinary image to their neighbours, but the family knew and treated him as such.

The only kindness he received was from his Aunt Petunia.

After a particularly violent beating by the hand of Vernon, where he ended up unconscious in the hospital, she forbade the male members of her family to ever lay a hand on him and physically abuse him again. She told them she was not going to stand for violence. She might not like or care for the child emotionally, but even so, she could not condone hurting a child. It was more than enough that he was treated as a nobody.

In some of her softer moments she almost regretted her treatment of Harry, and gave him a little more food, water, and even a little bit of fruit on those days. The next day everything would go back to normal, and she would pretend that her moment of weakness never happened.

Petunia was always careful and never showed any ounce of warmth for his nephew in the company of her husband, or Dudley. She knew there would be hell to pay if she would, as Vernon had a quick temper, and he often acted without giving a thought to the consequences.

Mrs. Dursley looked outside the window and watched as Harry tended to her garden. She had to admit that he had the magic touch when it came to her flowers. She frowned at how ironic that really was, considering that her sister Lily, and her husband Potter were both magical, and by the strange occurrences surrounding her nephew, she was certain he had the same inheritance they did.

 _Magic..._

Magic was the root of _all_ of her problems. She loathed magic. Magic stole her sister from her, when she was whisked away to some freak magic school for her education, leaving her behind. Magic stole her parents away from her when it got out how terribly special Lily was for being magical. It wasn't that they did not care or love her, because she knew that they did, however whenever her sister came home, she would always be second best, a shadow of the perfect daughter they were blessed with.

Magic eventually literally took her sister from her one Halloween night, and even though they were distant and estranged, she hated magic even more now. Deep down in the pits of her soul, Petunia Dursley loved Lily, and it enraged her to lose family.

Magic rejected her, it took from her and after all that, magic dared to drop a nuisance right in front of her doorstep to be a constant reminder of what she lost.

Logically she knew that none of this was the child's fault, which is why she had a hard time condoning physical abuse. She had no real trouble treating Harry as a stranger, and only feeding him enough, so he would be able to function and do his chores, but she knew it in her heart that what they were doing was far from normal.

She sighed and cocked her head to the side as the boy wetted his lips with his tongue. She realized that he must be very thirsty, after all, he was working under the blazing sun. She frowned and walked over to the kitchen counter, reaching for a clean tall glass and filling it with cold water, then she sighed heavily and made Harry a cheese sandwich, placing it on a paper plate, and putting the food and drink on a small silver tray.

Petunia walked back to the window and opened it slightly.

"Boy!" She called out quietly, refusing to call him by his given name. "Come here!" She ordered.

Harry was startled by his Aunt's voice and turned around, careful to keep his gaze on the windowsill, instead of the form of the tall skinny woman, and closed the distance between them.

"Yes, ma'am?" He asked politely. He learned a long time ago to address his Uncle and Aunt as _'sir'_ and _'ma'am'_ when they did not have proper company. Only in social circumstances was he ever to refer to them as family, otherwise it was forbidden.

"Here." She said and offered the tray to him, which he took gingerly, his eyes downcast. "You can have ten minutes to yourself to eat lunch, after that you are to finish weeding the garden. Once you are done with your chore outside, you can use the bathroom and I will give you the grocery list to buy the ingredients for the dinner you will make us tonight." She explained firmly, and closed the window before he could even thank her.

Harry was not bothered by that in the slightest. He learned after a few similar occasions, that whenever his Aunt Petunia decided to treat him more warmly that usual, she would be even more distant in her behaviour. It was confusing to him, but he accepted it, as he had everything else that happened to him.

He walked around the house and into the furthest point of the back garden, sitting down on the fragrant grass, placing the tray over his stretched legs, and rubbing his earth-soiled palms into his shirt. He leaned against the hard surface of the wooden fence behind him, and took a deep sip of water, revelling in the sense of ease that brought to him.

He took a small bite of the white bread and closed his eyes at the sweet taste of the cheese. He swirled the bite around his tongue savouring the taste, as if he was memorizing it for later. He ate slowly, chewing each bite he took carefully, so he could enjoy it longer and so it gave the illusion of being more filling than it actually was.

Harry was a growing boy, but he very rarely had eaten a full meal, which is why he was severely under-developed. Boys his age were usually taller and had more meat to them. He was basically skin and bones. His most striking features were his bright emerald eyes, and his messy raven hair.

Once he finished his meager meal, which he was very grateful for, he walked back to the front garden, and washed the dishes with the garden hose carefully, placing the clean objects on the windowsill, turning back to his unfinished work.

He knelt beside the violet and pink flowers, and reached between them, pulling at the lancet-shaped leaves of lambsquarter weed, carefully collecting the plants without damaging them to bring over to their neighbour across the road, Mrs. Figg.

Arabella Figg was a nice, albeit rather strange woman, who often invited him over for tea and cookies. She was the only person, other than his relatives, who was allowed to have close contact with him. Sometimes he wondered if she knew more about his life than she let on.

She was always interested in his day. Has he had enough to eat? How was he doing in school? Did he make any friends? His answers often made her eyes have a strange gleam in them, that he was way too young and confused to understand, and then she made him drink some strange tasting tea that made him feel more alive.

He often wondered what herbs she was using in the soft amber coloured liquid, but he was way too shy to ask. He learned early to never ask questions, because questions lead to trouble that he did not want to subject himself to.

He finished weeding the garden, and placed the leaves into a wooden box Mrs Figg loaned to him for preservation, and stashed it in one of the bushes until he could deliver it to the cat lady. That was another strange thing about her. She bred cats that seemed very un-cat-like, at least to him. They behaved quite peculiarly around him.

He shook his head and grabbed the tray to bring it to the kitchen. He quietly tip-toed his way towards his destination, and placed the tray and the glass in the sink, throwing the paper plate into the trash bin.

Harry spent the next five minutes in the bathroom, enjoying the soft flow of the warm water he was surprisingly allowed to use today, and when he was done washing himself, he found his only set of decent form-fitting clothes hanging on the towel rack. His Aunt was very careful to project a sense of normalcy about him when he was sent to be doing shopping chores. He couldn't actually shop for her in rags, or so she told him.

"Boy!" Her voice bellowed. "Hurry up and finish in there! _We don't have all day..._ " She knocked on the bathroom door forcefully, and turned on her heel to go to the living-room, waiting for her nephew to complete his orders.

Harry quickly threw his clothes on, took a few moments to drink some more water from the sink, while he had the chance, and made his way into the living-room area, where his Aunt Petunia was waiting impatiently.

"Next time when I say hurry up, you hurry up. Understand?" She frowned.

"Yes, ma'am, I am sorry ma'am." He said quietly, his eyes gazing at the floor, an uncomfortable feeling growing in his belly.

Her frown turned into a scowl, and she pulled out a neat list of groceries she needed from the market. "I will need these for the dinner I want you to prepare for us. I have carefully counted the money-" She warned as she handed him her wallet. "...so I will know if you steal even a penny from us, and if you do, you will be punished."

Harry gulped. He never had thoughts about stealing anything, much less money, ever since he tried to 'steal' a single cinnamon and chocolate cookie from a plate full, when he was five years old. Unfortunately for him, Vernon witnessed his actions and proceeded to pummel him into the wooden floor, which is when he ended up unconscious in the hospital. The only good thing that came from that incident was his Aunt's ban on physical violence and some honest self-preservation skills he developed.

"I won't let you down, ma'am." He said honestly.

"You better not! Now shoo and get your chore done, so you can cook and then disappear from our vision for the day." She instructed, and the boy grabbed the wallet, an empty woven basket, and walked out the front door.

Harry turned left and walked down the street of Privet Drive, where the eerie picture perfect vision of identical houses greeted him, which always made him feel uneasy. He was not sure whether that stemmed from his relatives, or something else though. The trees that dotted the front gardens and the meticulously groomed flower patches gave the illusion of some utopian neighbourhood that gave him the creeps.

He took a deep breath and crossed the street-way, turning right to push towards a narrow path towards _Sophie's Market_ , that had everything his Aunt wanted him to buy. It had taken him a few times when he gotten completely lost to finally map the neighbourhood out in his head, but now he easily found his way around, knowing each and every short-cut he could take.

Short-cuts became somewhat of a necessity for young Harry, as his cousin, Dudley, and his gang of rag-tag ruffians, invented a game that they fondly called _'Harry Hunting'_. They would chase him, and if they ended up catching him, they would rough him up a bit, enjoying every moment of violence against a smaller, defenseless boy.

Dudley was sad that he was not allowed to lay a hand on Harry, but that did not mean he did not participate. He was usually the one holding him down, his beefy hands weighing him heavily against the ground. He learned fast to circumvent the rules set by his mother to still inflict his own style of torture on his bullied cousin.

Harry turned right again, swinging the basket back and forth, when he heard a noise behind him, so he spun around his heel, coming face to face with what he could only call an ethereal otherworldly vision. Right in front of his eyes stood a young girl, her blonde hair was swaying in the wind and her silver eyes seemed like they were almost glowing in the sunlight.

He did not mean to stare, he really did not, but he had never seen anyone like her before. She seemed so out of place, that he could not help but blatantly stare at her. She had this warmth and curiosity about her that felt alien to him. All his life he was taught to just accept things as they come, without questioning anything.

Questions brought trouble. He was not allowed to ask any questions, unless he wanted to be punished, and unless he wanted to be yelled at by Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon. Thus, he wisely just stared at this oddly-placed girl, until she spoke in a sing-a-song voice.

"Hello, Harry Potter."

Harry's eyes widened, and the empty basket slipped from his hold, as he was shocked by the odd familiarity she spoke to him with. "H-how do you know my name?" He ended up asking, even though questions brought trouble. Questions were dangerous.

The girl's face curved into a sad smile. "Why, that's easy. Everyone knows your name where I come from." She replied.

The raven-haired boy's eyebrows reached his hairline at the sheer ridiculousness of that statement. "I don't understand." He said.

"I know." She nodded thoughtfully and tilted her head to the side. "Also. Don't be afraid of asking questions, Harry Potter. Curiosity is very healthy. Questions help you find answers. Answers hold the knowledge you seek. Knowledge holds the key to your destiny and your destiny is purely of your own making." She said gently, and he felt like she was gazing into his very soul.

"I do have some questions." He said hesitantly, as if asking her his questions would burn him. "What is your name?" He mumbled shyly.

"Oh, how rude of me." Her eyes widened. "My name is Luna." She smiled sweetly and looked into his eyes. "Luna Lovegood."

"Nice to meet you, Miss Lovegood." He said with a careful smile.

"Oh, Harry! You don't need to be so formal with me. After all, we are going to be friends, and friends call each other by their first names, right?" She said warmly, and Harry's eyes popped out of his head.

"F-friends?" He stammered. "I never had a friend before. Are you sure that's okay?" He swallowed his emotions.

Luna's eyes saddened. It was definitely as Myrddin told her. Harry Potter had led a hard life so far, but she was here now, and she would help. She was going to introduce him to kindness and she was more than happy to be his first friend.

"Yes, Harry. Friends." She said encouragingly. "Would you like that?"

"Y-yes." He nodded. "B-but, w-why?" He asked. "No one likes a freak. My Aunt has told me as much." He shared sadly.

Luna's eyes widened once more, her expressive silver orbs misty with unshed tears. "Harry James Potter! You are not a freak. Please, trust me. Why did your Aunt tell you such nonsense?" She asked, her voice raising in her anger.

Harry shrank back a bit at the shrill power her words were radiating, unconsciously stepping back a few steps from the blonde girl. "M-maybe this wasn't s-such a good idea." He gulped and picked up the basket, backing away even more from her. "F-forget what I said, I have chores to do. B-bye." He stammered and made a run for it, dashing as far away from this girl, who seemed to know him more than he knew himself, as he could.

Luna Lovegood was rooted to the ground, as she stared at the retreating form of Harry Potter. She did not expect to scare him, but apparently she frightened him and that made her feel upset. She accepted her fate to befriend the Heirs and she was already failing it.

She took a deep breath, wiping at her eyes. She would have to be more subtle with her approach, and she would apologize. Merlin told her that Harry had a hard life, but she did not think about the emotional consequences of that, but now she definitely knew better. She would learn from her mistakes and fix this.

"Just you wait, Harry Potter! I am going to help you." She whispered her vow and closed her eyes, letting The Powers That Be guide her Astral Self back to her body that lay on the field of white asphodel.

* * *

 **A/N:** My heart is bleeding for Harry. He is as skittish as a kitten. However, here is your first look at the background of the Heir of Gryffindor.

I also wanted to show that Luna won't have it easy. Things will have to progress on their own time. Realistically an emotionally stunted child won't warm up to anyone in a blink of an eye, and I won't rush any of it. I hope you enjoyed the insight into Harry's childhood.

Also, thank you for the follows, favourites and reviews! c:


	4. The Greengrass Family

Daphne Greengrass was sunning her pale coloured self in the lush gardens of Greengrass Manor. Her soft blonde hair was meticulously braided by the expert fingertips of her mother, Clementine. Her slender body was adorned in very old-fashioned wizarding swim wear, that reached from just below her knee, to the curve of her neck, keeping her midsection and chest area hidden beneath the sun-through fabric, but leaving her arms uncovered.

The young witch was sprawled over an ivory, Egyptian cotton covered and comfortably cushioned lounge chair, that was facing the rich rose bushes, that grew side by side with the purest white lilies. The sweet scent of the flowers was gently carried by the soft summer breeze, and Daphne's nostrils flared as she welcomed the delightful aroma.

She was having one of those rare moments when she could just be herself, without all the masks she was accustomed to wearing in proper company, and without all the stress her father, Ossius, was weighing her down with.

Being the eldest daughter of a Pureblood family was absolutely tiresome. There were so many protocols to follow through, and she had to attend countless Etiquette, and Wizarding Customs lessons that were hosted by her mother and the Ladies of her High Social Circle. She had to attend Tea Service events, dutifully co-host Balls for all kinds of different Charity Foundations with her mother, not to mention all the Diplomacy and Wizarding Law tutoring his father was grilling into her.

Sometimes she envied her little sister, Astoria. She had more time to enjoy life, and actually had a childhood. She also had to attend Etiquette, and Wizarding Customs lessons, but her father treated her like his precious little Princess, and not like the future reputation of the Greengrass family depended on her.

No, that was Daphne's destiny, or so he said.

The blonde witch did not even think she believed in destiny. _Weren't they all supposed to carve their own path, and have their own free will?_ Apparently, for Daphne Greengrass that was not the case. Ossius Greengrass had already pre-determined the path she was supposed to be walking on, whether she actually liked it or not.

The worst thing was, as Head of House, her father had all the rights to order her to follow his instructions to the letter, so Daphne decided it was more favourable to obey of her own accord, like a dutiful daughter, rather than be forced. She developed a mask of obedience for this purpose, that rarely fell.

She was highly guarded around him, and sometimes Ossius terribly wished that he could have his little girl back, from before he started training her to take over the family obligations one day. He knew that he was strict and more than hard on her, but he thought it necessary for her future to learn every skill she needed to survive in a wizard-dominated society.

Mr. Greengrass loved his family fiercely, and he knew that it rarely showed, but he had a role to play to get his family ready for what was coming. He heard the whispers deep underground. There was talk about the Dark Lord's spirit only laying dormant, gathering his strength, expanding his circle of followers, waiting for the perfect moment to strike on the unsuspecting community.

The Greengrass Family had connections to both the Dark and Light side of the blood conflict, and he had several legs up in both their circles to stand on. Ossius played it smart, and did not alienate either side, and for that, he was left alone to parade in his masterful skill of Neutrality. The downside was that he could not raise his voice too much against the laws he disagreed with in the Wizengamot, because he wanted to stay out of the deep waters of the political war the two sides were fighting.

The family was of a Neutral standing, but they had more affinity to the Light, than the Dark, however that did not stop them from abstaining. It was better to play it safe, than being sorry when whichever side eventually fell on its sword, and it was important that Daphne learned to play the field as well, as he did.

He looked out from the window of his study, and spotted his eldest daughter, soaking up the sun. He curled his lips into a one-sided smile and stood up, making his way towards her sister's room. He knocked on her door, and waited for an answer.

"Yes? Who is it?" He heard Astoria's muffled voice from the other side of the ornate door.

"It's your father, Princess. May I come in?" He asked politely, and soon enough the door flung open, and his daughter was flinging herself into his waiting arms.

"Daddy!" She squealed in delight, circling her arms around his waist.

"Why don't you go join your sister under the sun? She looks like she could use some company." He winked at her, reaching into his robe to give her a tastefully wrapped bar of Honeyduke's finest chocolate, Daphne's favourite.

The brunette little witch's eyes sparkled. "Are these the honey apple flavoured ones? Those are her favourite." She said in a sweet voice, grinning like a light bulb.

"You know it, sweetheart." Ossius chuckled, and leaned forward with a conspiratory whisper. "I also saved some milk cherry bon-bons for my favourite daughter. They are under a Cooling Charm, and your treats will be waiting for you when you get back."

Tory squealed with the voice of a happy child, and squeezed her father. "You are the absolute best, Daddy!" She laughed, and ran around the hall towards the stairs, to make her way outside, while Mr. Greengrass laughed to himself at his daughter's antics, and left the sweets on her vanity, disappearing into his study once more.

The seven year old little girl ran down the marble stairs as fast as her legs could carry her, only to ungracefully bump into her mother, who stared at her disapprovingly, and held her back.

"Astoria, you know that a lady does not run around like a monkey, now, don't you?" She narrowed her eyes at her, and reached out to straighten her summer robes, flicking some loose hair off her shoulder.

"Yes, mother." She shrank back to herself, her eyes downcast. "I apologize." She mumbled, and Clementine's expression softened a bit, as she tenderly organized her daughter's soft waves into a loose bun on the top of her head.

"Good." She caressed Astoria's head gently. "Now, go along to your destination, but keep grace and poise in mind." She instructed firmly, and watched her daughter walk further down the stairs, barely restraining her small body from breaking into the very run that she had interrupted.

Clementine Greengrass shook her head and sighed. It was much easier to teach Daphne to be graceful and carry herself with poise and dignity, because she was a natural at it. She easily adapted to everything they required of her, while Astoria was bit of a wild-card.

She often thought that the circumstances were a bit unfair to Daphne, and the reason Astoria behaved so carefree was, because she did not have the same responsibilities weighing down her shoulders, but she also knew that you had to learn to play with the cards that you were dealt with, otherwise you would lose the game.

There was no way Clementine would let any of her daughters lose, and if that meant reigning in her children to behave like they were supposed to behave, then that is what she would do. She loved them with all her heart, and she would be damned if she would let society crumble them.

She sighed, and walked to the second floor, where she looked outside the window, smiling slightly as she watched Tory walking up to Daphne.

"Sissy!" Astoria squealed cheerfully, as she neared the garden her sister was sunning in. "I've brought you a gift."

Daphne cocked her head to the side to look at her sister, and smiled warmly in her direction. If there was one person she never hid her emotions from, it was sweet, naïve, innocent little Tory, whom she loved with all her heart.

"Tory." She greeted her kindly. "You know it is gift enough for me when you are around, little sister." She chuckled, her eyes alight.

"But chocolate is a much better gift, is it not?" The brown-haired witch asked, and pulled out the fancifully wrapped chocolate bar, and teasingly waved it in front of Daphne.

Her bright blue eyes followed the treat back and forth, and then with a skillful move, she snatched the tempting goods right out of Astoria's hands. "Got it." She said, and laughed a rare laugh. "Thank you, sis." She murmured, and carefully unwrapped the mouth-watering surprise.

"Daddy sent it." She smiled at her, and sat down on the lounge Daph was using. "He asked me to come out and share your company for a while."

"Oh, did he?" Daphne asked, momentarily freezing up, then she forced the reaction away, as she wanted to be relaxed next to her sister, although she did wonder about the motive behind her father's little treat. He always had an ulterior motive, something to achieve, something to gain, even with his family.

"Yes!" Astoria replied cheerfully, completely oblivious to her sister's subtle change in attitude. "He also promised to leave some bon-bons out for me."

"That's nice of Father." She said in a neutral tone. She was not anything, if not diplomatic. She had a lot of time to master that skill after all.

"I know. Daddy is the best!" The younger girl giggled adorably. "I am so happy to have you as my sister, and Daddy as my daddy." She admitted, and leaned her head on Daphne's shoulder.

"How about Mother?" She mused.

"Oh, I love her too." Tory fiddled with a lock of her own hair. "But she is so strict with me. Always telling me that I cannot run and cannot behave like a monkey." She frowned, and stared up at her with big blue eyes. "What if I want to be a monkey?"

Daphne blinked, and then burst out laughing. " _What?!_ " She spluttered, holding to her sides, and trying to get her breathing under control.

"Well, if I was a monkey, do you think Mummy would still be telling me not to behave like one?" She asked innocently. " _Would she still love me?_ " Her lips quivered.

Leave it to a seven year old's logic to turn a completely ridiculous question into something completely heart-wrenching. The older witch stopped laughing at once, and glanced at her sister, who was visibly upset about their Mother's words.

"You know Mother loves you, sis." She said gently, pulling her close in a warm side embrace. "She cannot help but discipline us. She wants us to be as graceful and poised as she is." She caressed Astoria's hair soothingly. "She would not tell you not to behave like a monkey, if she didn't love you."

"Really?" Tory asked with hope in her eyes. "It's so much easier for me to understand Daddy." She sighed, and fiddled with the hem of her yellow robes. "He lets me be myself, but Mummy does not."

Daphne sighed, and massaged her temples slightly to soothe her nerves. She really did not want to have this conversation right now, when she could be relaxing under the sun, but she could not leave Tory to struggle with doubts. She hated it when her sister was sad, because it made her feel like the sun would never shine again, even when it so clearly did.

She was about to open her mouth to speak, when the world went black around her, and she was falling, and falling, and falling through nothingness, which felt like lasting forever, until she was surrounded with a glow so bright, she had to shield her eyes.

She felt so light, like a feather floating, completely weightless and without worry. She felt like she did not have a care in the world, which was a strange, alien feeling to her. She sat up, and looked around to see that she was surrounded by pure whiteness.

"Hello, Daphne Greengrass." A sing-a-song voice greeted her kindly, and she spun around, her eyes widening slightly, as before her stood Luna Lovegood, who was quite an ethereal sight to behold, as she was adorned with a robe so white, she almost disappeared into the room. Her blonde hair was floating around her face, and tiny white flowers, and fairies of all sizes were dotting the silky strands like a mirage.

"Where are we, Miss Lovegood?" She asked curiously, yet painfully polite.

"Oh, we are in another dimension. I call it Dreamscape." She said cheerfully and sat down, folding her legs under her.

" _Why_ am _I_ here?" Daphne asked suspiciously, furrowing her brows together.

"Why, that's easy. I would like to be your friend, Miss Greengrass." She said with a bright smile.

The older witch's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline. "What an unconventional method in befriending another." She shook her head. "Wouldn't it have been easier and more logical, if you owled me?"

"Oh, but I did." She chuckled. "You will receive my letter really soon, I just wanted to pop in and say hello in person, so to speak, beforehand."

Daphne reached up to massage her temples, and mumbled under her breath. "This is not happening, this is not happening, this is _so_ not happening, good Merlin, please tell me I have just laid under the sun a bit too long."

Luna cocked her head to the side. "Myrddin is indeed good." She nodded thoughtfully. "And I don't think you have laid under the sun too long, you have a beautiful tan, without any red spots."

The blonde witch hit her forehead with her palm, blinked, pinched herself, and blinked once more, shaking her head a few times. She opened her eyes, and looked into Luna's direction to see that she was still there. "I am still here?" She asked, dumbfounded. " _How_ can this be? You are _real_? Like, _really_ real?"

Luna raised an eyebrow. " _Of course_ I am real. Are you not real, Miss Greengrass?" She asked dubiously.

"I-, uh, this is so freaking confusing." Daphne threw up her hands in the air in frustration.

Luna smiled knowingly. "You will understand with time, I assure you." She said softly, and then sighed. "I better let you go back to your sister, she is worried about you, and I am needed elsewhere."

"Needed elsewhere?" Daphne echoed, and then shook her head, as she was even more confused now.

"It was nice meeting you, Miss Greengrass, I hope my owl will find you when you have less Wrackspurts around to fuzzy your brain." She smiled.

"Wrack-whats? Never mind, uh, yeah, sure." Daphne mumbled, and then propriety won out in her. "Likewise, Miss Lovegood." She said softly, and no sooner did she utter the words, that she was falling through nothingness once more, only opening her eyes, when she heard frantic voices around her.

"Daphne, sweetheart, please wake up." She heard the pleading voice of her Mother.

"Mother?" She asked groggily, sitting up on the lounge chair. "What happened?"

"You fainted." She said softly, and fussed over her eldest daughter. "You spent way too much time under the sun. I think it would be best if we all went inside."

"That makes sense." She said slowly, holding to her head. Whatever she dreamt about was a pile of ridiculous nonsense, as she thought it was, however she couldn't get it out of her head. It seemed so real.

"Come daughter, let us retreat to the drawing room." Clementine said firmly, and Daphne nodded, and reached down to grab her chocolate bar, which is when Tory, who was silent through the exchange, crashed into her sister's body with a frantic hug.

"Don't ever scare me like that again!" She pleaded with her, as she cried against her shoulder.

The blonde witch's expression softened and gently engulfed her sister in a hug. "I am sorry, Tory." She whispered tenderly, and kissed her head. "Let's go inside, and you can have some of my chocolate bar." She offered. "How about it?"

"Deal." The younger girl agreed, and wiped her eyes. "I love you, Sissy." She said honestly, and their Mother watched over them with a pleased smile.

Clementine Greengrass couldn't have been a prouder mother than she was at that moment. The fact that she witnessed Daphne's walls disappearing around Astoria, was a gift in itself, but the relationship between the sisters was a joy to witness. There was just so much love and devotion in their hugs and eyes, that she was bursting with happiness, and she wished they could always be so open-hearted, but she knew that was just wishful thinking. Hard times were ahead, and they needed to be prepared. Even so, she would treasure all these little moments of normalcy they were able to steal together, as the precious gift it was.

As they walked towards the back entrance of the Manor, a small-sized Eagle owl flew towards Daphne, carrying a tightly rolled scroll in it's grasp, adorned with the Lovegood family seal.

The blonde witch only took one glance at where the letter came from, and promptly fainted.

* * *

 **A/N:** We take a little peek into Daphne's life and experience the Greengrass family dynamics: a pressured eldest daughter, with a cheerfully carefree little sister, and parents that want what's best for their children, even at the cost of a normal childhood, and family emotions.

I have created new names for the Greengrass parents, and wasn't sure how much younger Astoria really is, so she is going to be seven years old, as Daph is nine.

Luna makes another appearance and promptly shocks Daphne. Does this girl even know the meaning of subtlety, or is that a lost cause? I love her so much, my gosh.

Thank you for the follows, favourites and reviews. Enjoy the chapter! :)


	5. Neville Tangled In A Tree

There was terror reflecting through the slightly pudgy little boy's face, as he was dangling upside-down from one of the many windows of Longbottom Manor, as his Great Uncle Algie was holding him by the ankle. Blood was rushing to his face, his cheeks flushing with red, as he was frantically flailing his arms around, trying to make his Great Uncle see reason.

"U-u-uncle Algie, p-p-please p-pull me b-back in-s-s-s-ide." His edgy voice pleaded with him.

"Nonsense, my boy. We need to inspire your Magical Core along a little bit, don't we now." He grunted, and shook him a little for great measure.

It was the Longbottom family's greatest concern that young Neville did not show any sign of magic in his nine years of life so far, thus his imposing Great Uncle took it upon himself to try to inspire a magical reaction of some sort out of him. The downside with that was, that most of his attempts were threading along the line of threatening his great nephew's life, and he even nearly drowned him once.

"U-u-uncle." He shivered in terror. "P-p-please, I d-don't want to f-f-fall." He squeaked in fear.

"Come on, Neville, don't get your knickers in a twist over a little thing like height. Where is your sense of adventure?" He chuckled to himself, and dipped the boy further down, causing the young wizard to let out an ear-piercing scream.

Neville's agony alerted his ever faithful house-elf Ivy to his circumstances, and the terrified elf popped into the Library, where her Mistress was sipping her afternoon tea, reading the newest edition of _The Ties That Bind_ , which was a very in-depth book about all kinds of magical bonds, including life debts, soul-bonding, and the bonds of friendship and family.

"Mistress!" The elderly elf squeaked. "Master Algie is holding young Master out the window." She said, wringing her ears nervously.

" _What?!_ " Augusta's eyes widened, and she jumped up with the agility of a feline, and looked at the elf sternly. "Take me to them!" She instructed, and Ivy grabbed her by the ankle, popping them to the Northern Wing, where poor Neville was screaming his lungs out.

"Algernon Longbottom, what the hell do you think you are doing to that child?" She yelled at her quirky brother. "Pull him back inside this instant, before I hex you into oblivion!"

"Calm down, _Gigi_ , there is no need to panic." He rolled his eyes. "I am just doing a little accidental magic experiment. You know as well as I, that the boy _desperately_ needs to be motivated to show some aptitude." He sighed dramatically.

"G-gran, p-p-please h-e-e-e-lp me." Neville pleaded with her, as he felt himself slipping from Algie's grasp, and shut his eyes tightly for the inevitable doom he was feeling was coming for him, between screams and yells of terror.

The Longbottom Matriarch's eyes widened as she saw her grandchild starting to fall from her moronic brother's loose hold. "Algie! Tighten your grasp on Neville this instant!" She yelled, and pulled out her wand.

"Shush, witch." He shook his head, and accidentally let go of the boy. His eyes widened with the realization of what he did, but there was no stopping the flow of events anymore.

Neville screamed his little heart out, as he felt himself fall from the shaky hold of his Great Uncle. He was absolutely certain that he was going to die any second now, and something deep inside of him let loose, and reacted to his absolute certainty for his pending death. There was a bright glow of accidental, or more likely very-very purposeful magic, and instead of falling to his premature demise, he ended up bouncing off the ground and into a tree, getting tangled up in the high branches and leaves.

His Great Uncle Algie shook himself out of his frozen shock for letting his great nephew slip from his hands, and broke out in loud delightful cheering, jumping up and down like a two year old.

"That a boy!" He yelled. "I knew you had it in you, just needed the right inspiration, you did."

"Calm down you old toad!" Augusta reprimanded him. "Don't you see that the boy is tangled up in a tree?" She asked exasperatedly, but deep inside she was also rejoicing that her Neville showed a sign of magic, because she was afraid that he was a Squib, although that wouldn't have changed her love for him, but she did not want their society to shun him.

The nine year old wizard was hugging the tree for all he was worth, holding on to anything that did not have him dangling around in the air like helpless dragon-bait. He slowly opened his eyes to look around him, and he sent a silent thank you to The Powers That Be, for protecting him from ending up as fertilizer for his precious plants and flowers.

"Ivy!" He called the devoted little elf, who always looked out for him.

"Young Master called?" She squeaked eagerly, anxiously looking up at him.

"P-please help m-me get down f-f-from here." He asked her softly, his whole body tense both from the trauma of dangling upside-down like a demented scarecrow, and from the effects the burst of his magic had on him.

"Yes, Master." Ivy bobbed her head, and snapped both of her fingers, gently levitating her young Master down from the tree to the soft lush grass below.

"Thank you." He mumbled, and laid sprawled on his beloved grass covered soil, kissing the ground in relief and devotion. He was very much a down to earth type of person, and he found that he appreciated the Earth and all it had to offer to him even more now.

He ran both of his hands through the freshly scented terrain, digging his fingertips gently into the soil, and enjoying the feeling of safety and home it radiated towards him. He felt a sense of belonging with Nature, that he did not feel with humans, not really. For as long as he could remember, he always found solace in the green around him. It revitalized him, and filled him with life.

His interest quickly found its roots in Herbology, and he devoured the related literature, like a bookworm. He absorbed every information he could find about his beloved shrubbery, like a sponge, and the gardens of Longbottom Manor flourished as a result. Despite his young age, he even had a Greenhouse of his own, in which he grew all kinds of herbs and plants for potion ingredients. Some of it was harvested for the family laboratory, but his Gran sold most of what he grew to a select few Apothecaries, and put the funds into his personal Vault that he had access to, after all he worked for it, thus he should be able to enjoy the fruit of his labours, or so his Grandmother said.

He spent a portion of his income on buying more seedlings, and reading material to broaden his knowledge on the subject, some of it he spent buying small tokens of appreciation to both his family and Ivy, and the rest he saved for his Hogwarts years. It wasn't like his Gran would not be able to afford tuition, because they were a rather wealthy family, but even though he was shy, he wanted to stand on his own two feet, and his Herbology skills allowed for it, so he was determined to see it through.

He was broken out of his reverie by the voice of Augusta Longbottom, who was rushing up to him, pulling him up from the ground, by the collar of his robes.

"Honestly, young man, why do you always feel the need to roll around in dirt?" She asked with a stern sigh, but momentarily held him to herself in a hug, to reassure that her grandchild was not injured and that he was still in tact.

"Because it's _fun_." He replied with a boyish smile, as the warmth of his Gran's hug relaxed him a little.

"I don't see what's enjoyable in dirtying yourself." She shook her head, and then smiled briefly. "Neville, I don't condone Algie's ways of threatening your life with his accidental magic experiments, as he calls them, but I am proud of you for showing you have it in you." She patted his head gently in a rare show of affection.

His eyes widened with surprise, as a bright grin lit his face. "Thanks, Gran." He glowed from happiness. It was not often that he was told that he made his family proud, so he was revelling in the rarity of the event.

"Let's go inside, child, I have something to show you." Augusta said with a light in her eyes, and led the way to the Master Bedroom of the Manor.

Neville's eyes widened as they got nearer to their destination, and he realized where his Gran was taking him. The room his parents occupied, before their unfortunate row with the Death Eathers, that ended up with them in the Mental Ward of St. Mungo's, was forbidden to him, and only his Grandmother had access to it.

The older witch turned around, and looked at her grandchild sadly. "I know I haven't been the most accommodating to you about your parents, but it's a very touchy subject for me." She admitted. She had a lot of emotions to deal with, while taking care of Neville, and it was not easy. "However, I think it's time I let you have access to this room as well."

Neville could only stare and nod. He did not want to say that he never understood why she kept him away from his parents' room, but it did not matter really, he was going to be able to see inside now, and he was bubbling over with excitement.

Augusta held her hand against the pale coloured wooden surface of the door, and let the wards recognize her, turning towards Neville. "Come, place your left hand under mine. It will let the room's wards accept and recognize you from here on." She instructed, and the boy nodded, stepping next to her, and touching the door the way he was supposed to.

There was a brief tingling sensation that coursed through his body as the wards recognized him, and then it was like the magic hummed from within. It was like the wards rejoiced to allow someone of Alice's and Frank's blood inside it's depths.

"Wow." He whispered with awe at all the sensations he was feeling. He never really felt the wards of the Manor so intensely before, and he briefly wondered, if it was because of his recent burst of accidental magic that he was finally attuned to sensing magic so intensely.

Augusta cocked her head to the side, and smiled at his reaction to sensing the ancient magical ley lines that the Manor was built on. She always wondered when he would get a real taste of them, and now she knew that all it took was for his magic to bubble to the surface, and spark itself to life.

"What are you waiting for? Open the door and go inside." She chuckled, and gave a small push to his back, leaving to go back to the Library, letting him experience this by himself.

Neville shook his head a little to get a sense of himself, and pushed down the doorknob with determination. His eyes filled with unshed tears, as he stepped inside the room and looked around. He could feel the warm presence of his parents echo around him.

The walls were a deep lavender colour, and there were magical and mundane paintings tastefully dotting the wall. There was a discreet crystal chandelier hanging from the middle of the ceiling, and it lit the room up, like a light show, when he glanced at it, pondering how it would work. The lights danced with a warm yellow and pale blue hue on the walls, and he smiled wistfully, wishing his parents were right beside him.

He looked to the right, and walked towards the ivory mahogany vanity table, that he supposed belonged to his mother. There was an ornate mirror hanging above it, and several little jars and vials were organized atop the desk. There was a rectangular box decorated with lilies and small identical leaflets in the middle of the other odds and ends situated haphazardly around it. He carefully lifted the lid, and his breath had caught in his throat, as he laid his eyes on his parents' wands.

He looked at the masterfully crafted wooden sticks and sighed. He did not dare touch them, for it did not feel right to do so. He admired them from a distance, and smiled wistfully, wishing that he could witness Alice and Frank casting spells. He wanted to experience their magic, although he would have been happy for them to have lost all their magic, if that meant they would be here with him.

 _He would quite happily give up his own magic, if that was the price to pay to have their sanity back._

"Hello, Neville." A quiet, melodic voice whispered, so he spun around, falling over himself to stare at the source. Luna actually greeted him informally, compared to the others, because she felt completely at ease with him, given that they have spoken a few times before.

There, in the middle of his parents' room, against all logical reasoning, stood Luna Lovegood in her ethereal glory. Her silver eyes were glistening in the pale blue and yellow hues of the lights, and her blonde hair framed her angelic face gracefully.

"L-luna?" He asked, his eyes wide with surprise. "H-how did y-y-you get h-here?" He stammered, pushing himself up from the ground, and straightened his robes.

"I wanted to visit you, so I did." She said softly, her eyes sparkling with warmth, and then a flicker of doubt entered her. "Do you want me to go? Am I interrupting something?" She asked in such a small voice, that Neville wanted to hug her, but he did not.

"O-of course not." He said, shaking his head. "I am just surprised is all. It's not every day that someone just appears out of thin air in the room of your hosp-, I m-mean the r-o-o-o-m of your parents." He corrected himself, stammering a little bit. He did not like to speak about his parent's condition. Much like Augusta, he had a lot of emotions to work through.

Luna looked around, and understanding dawned on her. "This is your parents' room, isn't it?" She asked softly.

Neville just nodded. "Y-yes." He whispered, and turned back to gaze at his parents' wands. They were carefully placed side by side on velvet cushioning, and they looked like polar opposites of the other. One was a deep red wand, with a few black lines fading into the handle, and the other was a pale ivory coloured wand, looked to be made of Hazel wood, of that he was sure. That wand was radiating a special kind of sadness, and it was known about Hazel wands, that they were very sensitive and prone to wilting a bit, if their master or mistress was unable to handle them.

Luna cocked her head to the side, and closed her eyes, as she felt a vision overtake her at the sight of the wands.

She gasped a bit, as she saw Augusta Longbottom offer her son's wand to her grandchild for his use. She saw the wand disobeying Neville significantly, dimming his skills in the light of not using a focus tuned to his specifications.

Then the vision blurred, and she saw a Neville that was a few years older, as he embraced his parents, as they recovered from their conditions, ready to go and live life again. Her eyes filled with tears, as she saw herself, and the other Heirs celebrating their recovery.

Harry looked a lot healthier and happier, his arms were snaking around a petite girl, who had striking cinnamon and honey coloured curls, and expressive eyes flecked with golden specks in them. She shivered, as she realized she was getting a look at an older Hermione, and she was truly beautiful. She was smiling, and looking at an equally gorgeous witch, whose head was laying upon her shoulder. Her blonde hair was falling across her back, and she was portraying a smile she never suspected would ever grace Daphne Greengrass' features. She looked so peaceful, and happy.

Then her eyes found herself, right at Neville's side, as their older selves were holding hands, and he was introducing her to his parents. She swallowed her emotions, and the scene changed a bit, and she saw Neville dragging Hermione to his parents, and it looked like the whole family was looking to her with something akin to grateful awe, and she was trying to melt into the ground with embarrassment.

She would have looked more, but the vision ended abruptly, and Luna fell towards the ground, slipping on her knees.

"Merlin..." She whispered, overcome with emotions. She saw the future, a very bright, very happy future.

"Luna, a-are you o-okay?" Neville asked, rushing to kneel next to her. "What happened?"

"I had a vision." She said softly, wiping at her eyes. "A beautiful, wonderful vision." She smiled brightly, her hands shaking.

His eyes widened. "Are you a Seer?" He asked in awe.

"Yes, I am. My bloodline had a few Seers in the past, and I inherited the ability. It usually passes down through the female members of my family, but there was one very notable male Seer in our line as well." She explained and steadied her shaking limbs.

"Can you s-share what you s-s-saw?" He asked hesitantly. He was very curious, but he also knew that sometimes you weren't supposed to know of certain events that were coming.

Luna closed her eyes, and let The Powers That Be guide her words, to let her know how much she could share. She took a deep breath, and opened her eyes once more.

"I saw a bright future ahead. We were standing in a circle of friends, celebrating something truly remarkable." She smiled.

"F-friends?" Neville asked with wide eyes. "I had friends?"

"Yes. Of course." She raised an eyebrow. "You already have a friend in me, Neville, but you had a few more. You looked happy and healthy." She smiled, and reached out to hold his hand in hers gently.

The youngest Longbottom flushed at the gesture, but squeezed her hand slightly. He never had friends before, and even though he had spoken with Luna a few times at certain social events, they never contacted each other without obligation.

"I would like that." He breathed with a shy smile of his own.

With a gentle promise of friendship, and a brighter future of happiness, the two children spent the rest of the afternoon talking, sitting in the middle of Alice and Frank Longbottom's bedroom floor, while Fate was smiling down at her chosen Vessel, and her fated companion.

 _Her machinations towards more peaceful times were progressing nicely._

* * *

 **A/N:** There we have sweet little Neville and a look into his life. The poor boy had to deal with his Great Uncle Algie all his life, while he pushed him through his accidental magic experiments. He is a bit of an odd-bird that one, and I tried to portray that through his speech.

I was trying to think up a nickname for Augusta, and that is how Gigi happened. Although, probably only her brother will call her that. I don't see anyone else calling her Gigi, that would be scandalous.

So, as you probably figured from this chapter, the romantic entanglements will involve Harry/Hermione and Luna/Neville, even though I briefly pondered Daphne with Neville, but she feels to me like someone who needs another kind of personality to really shine with, even though in fictions like this, the Heirs usually are with each other.

Help me find a partner for Daph? I was thinking about Theodore, Tracey Davis, one or both of the Weasley twins, or Charlie Weasley, as he is a dragon-tamer, and her Animagus form is going to be a Dragon. What do you think?


End file.
